Blowing into this gadget could help asthma sufferers recognize the signs of an attack

According to the team behind this interesting new Indiegogo campaign, nearly every death, ER visit, or hospitalization in the U.S. due to asthma is preventable. Because it can be difficult for sufferers to recognize the signs of an impending attack, an early warning system that could be carried around each day was needed. Thus they came up with Wing, a sensor that links up with a companion app on your phone to help manage and understand what asthma is doing to your body.

By blowing into the Wing sensor, it measures how much air you can blow in a single second, and how fast it flows, the results of which give a picture of how your lungs are working. The app presents the data in a simple to understand traffic light system, helping asthma sufferers understand if they’re in danger of having an attack.

Used regularly, it can help you recognize signs of an attack, understand how you respond to different medications, or discover triggers. The app collates all the data, which can be shared with your doctor to help better manage asthma attacks.

Perhaps best of all, Wing is incredibly easy to use, and to live with. It doesn’t have a battery so it never needs charging, and it plugs into your phone using the headphone port — so there’s no worry over compatibility. However, the app is only available for iOS at the moment, but an Android version is in the works. The sensor has no moving parts, doesn’t require complicated calibration, and meets the standards set down by the America Thoracic Society for lung measurements. It’s worth noting that Wing still has to pass through the FDA for approval.

It’s not only suitable for checking up on asthma either. The team says athletes, and even musicians and vocalists could benefit from its results, along with sufferers of other lung-related problems. Wing is part way through its Indiegogo campaign at the time of writing, and a little over 50-percent funded already. The cheapest early bird offer has already been snapped up, but it’s still available for $90, or $100 if that level also sells out. If you support the campaign, expect delivery of the Wing around August next year.